MIR foundation team joins Europe’s largest agri-food innovation gathering in Warsaw

This month, as part of the ongoing effort to connect national agri-food innovators with Europe’s leading food-tech and sustainability thinkers, two prominent representatives from Foundation for Management and industrial research Gabriela Kostovska Bogoeska, executive director and Emilija Andonova, programme coordinator participated in the flagship Next Bite 2025 event, organized by EIT Food.

Next Bite is a premier European gathering aimed at rethinking and re-shaping food systems — bringing together start-ups, researchers, policymakers, investors, agri-food producers and thought-leaders to explore how to build a healthier, more sustainable, and fair food future.

By taking part, MIR team helped highlight Macedonia’s commitment to agri-food innovation and sustainable entrepreneurship. Their attendance underlines MIR’s active role in bridging local agri-food entrepreneurs with Europe’s broader innovation ecosystem. Their presence at Next Bite also resonates with their work locally, namely through the national implementation of the EWA – Empowering Women in Agri-food programme (backed by EIT Food). EWA is designed to support women entrepreneurs across Europe — providing mentoring, training, network access, and funding opportunities to help turn bold agri-food ideas into real, scalable ventures. In Macedonia this year, EWA culminated in a Demo Day and pitching event, organised by MIR foundation.

One of the standout participants was Nadica Desanova — founder of MIMIC TECH — who won the second prize (€5,000) for her innovative project. MIMIC TECH develops biodegradable bioplastics based on kombucha, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional plastics and aiming to replace single-use industrial packaging with eco-friendly materials. Nadica Desanova, along with other EWA participants, was invited to participate in Next Bite — giving her the opportunity to pitch her idea among a diverse, Europe-wide audience of innovators, investors, and policy-makers. This bridging of national-level programmes with continental-scale events demonstrates how local agri-food initiatives are gaining visibility and entering broader innovation conversations.

For MIR, the involvement of its leadership and entrepreneurs like Nadica serves as clear evidence of their mission: to support sustainable agri-food innovations, foster gender equality in entrepreneurship, and build connections between the Macedonian ecosystem and Europe’s agri-food-innovation community.

What this event brings to our community:

Visibility & Networking: By joining a leading event like Next Bite, Macedonian agri-food actors get direct exposure to European investors, partners, and knowledge networks.

Support for Women Entrepreneurs: EWA’s support the potential of women-led innovation in agri-food.

Sustainability & Innovation: Projects like MIMIC TECH reflect growing interest in circular economy, eco-innovation and sustainable packaging — aligning Macedonian agriculture and food industry with global environmental trends.

Ecosystem Building: Through MIR and its coordination of EWA, there emerges a pathway for early-stage ideas to mature — from local pitch events, funding and mentoring, to international exposure and collaboration.

Visit the website of Next bite 2025 for more information: Next Bite 2025 Programme – Next Bite 2025